Everyone needs a good night's rest, but sometimes a dream can be so disturbing that falling back asleep is next to impossible. Nightmares, in particular, are so shocking that they seem to haunt you even when you are awake and can interfere with your daytime quality of life. Thankfully, there are many things you can do to forget a bad dream and prevent it from happening again.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Managing the Dream When You Wake Up
Step 1. Remember that dreams are not real
Nightmares are generated by all sorts of random factors, from the food you ate before bed to the show you watched on TV, to the stress or problems in your life that are completely unrelated to the dream itself.
- There is no relationship between the good or bad things that happen in dreams and those in real life, so don't worry and don't feed anxiety, thinking that they are premonitions of the future. Although dreams have no relation to your future, they are the mirror of the past and your current life: they reflect the traumas, stresses, memories and experiences that the mind tries to catalog and assimilate while you rest.
- When you wake up from a nightmare in the middle of the night, it is important to immediately take the thought out of the dream and connect it to something real. Think about what makes you particularly happy: family, pets, partner, or a fantastic sunset. This technique is called "guided imagery" and is an intentional mental strategy that allows you to lead your thinking towards relaxation.
Step 2. Breathe, calm down and just try to relax
Nightmares trigger a physiological response, such as an accelerated heart rate and cold sweats. Practice some meditation techniques to take your mind off the dream and calm yourself down enough to go back to sleep.
Breathe deeply into your abdomen to reduce your heart rate. Lie on your back, place a hand on your stomach and inhale deeply through your nose. Let the air expand the abdomen and not the chest, then push the air out of the body through the "curled" lips (as if you want to give a kiss). Focus on the sensation transmitted by the air as it enters and exits the body
Step 3. Recite a calming mantra
When you were a very young child, your mother or father is likely to comfort you after a bad dream. You can evoke the same feeling by saying words of comfort when you wake up and are alone.
- Simple words like, "You are awake and safe. You are awake and safe." You can also recite the lines of a calming poem ("Stopping by a wood on a snowy evening," Robert Frost is a perfect example) or the lines of a quiet song (nursery rhymes for children are usually a good choice)..
- If you are religious, you may choose to recite the scriptures or a prayer that helps you feel better in times of stress.
Part 2 of 3: Forget the Dream the Next Day
Step 1. Do something to distract yourself
Whether it's reading a book, watching a TV show, or calling friends, take some time to relax and do something that makes you happy.
If the dream images continue to haunt you throughout the day, remind yourself that this is unreal and that there is no reason to be afraid
Step 2. Release your emotions
Since you want to forget the dream, talking about it can seem counterproductive. However, sometimes the only way to truly forget a creepy nightmare is to work out its meaning and understand the reasons why it haunts you. For this purpose, it is worth talking about it with a trusted friend.
- Talk to someone you trust and know for sure that they won't laugh or make fun of you. Call your parents, email a friend, or talk to them in person. As the saying goes: "tooth removed, pain removed".
- A friend who knows your past and present sources of stress can help you identify the cause of nightmares or why they bother you so much.
Step 3. Relax before bed
Most people are able to forget bad dreams during the day, but they start to get anxious around bedtime because they don't want to have such a disturbing experience again. When bedtime approaches, try to calm your mind and focus on the happy moments.
- Just before bed, avoid violent TV shows, movies, video games, and reading, especially if you watch or read scary or suspenseful material. This kind of entertainment excites the mind and the result could be bad dreams, because the subconscious continues to process what you have seen or read.
- Don't watch the nightly news and don't read the news online before bed. The news media tends to focus on stories of crime, deaths and wars, because these topics seem to attract a larger audience; however, watching this news gives you a distorted sense of reality. Media scholars call this the "bad world syndrome"; in practice, it is the tendency of people who watch a lot of television news to believe that the world is more dangerous than it actually is.
- Do what relaxes you the most: sex, reading the scriptures, watching a light and fun program or an undemanding book, a long hot bath or asking your partner to give you a relaxing massage with scented oils and lotions.
Part 3 of 3: Avoiding Bad Dreams
Step 1. Find out what causes bad dreams
If you spot the triggers, you can put preventative measures in place to avoid nightmares.
- Dreams can be triggered by drugs (especially narcotics, antidepressants, and those to control blood pressure), food or drink (especially alcohol, but your specific trigger can be anything), stressful events, fever, an illness or sleep deprivation. Some people experience nightmares from overheating from too many blankets or too warm pajamas.
- Are you used to having a midnight snack? Although people have always thought that nightmares are induced by a specific type of food (such as spicy foods), in reality scientists are now more inclined to believe that dream activity is stimulated by the act of eating itself and not by eating. one dish in particular. Consumption of food is thought to accelerate metabolism, which consequently triggers greater brain activity when the brain is supposed to relax and prepare for rest. This anomalous arousal leads to the increased production of dreams and nightmares.
- If you have recurring nightmares, keep a dream journal that includes any information about medications, unusual foods or drinks, stressful events, or accompanying fears and illnesses.
Step 2. Implement strategies to relieve stress
Very often, bad dreams not only reflect the anxiety and emotional pressure of your daytime life, but add other negative emotions and stress, potentially triggering a vicious cycle in which nightmares feed on themselves. Here are some practices to get rid of anxiety:
- Practice mindfulness. It is a meditative practice that focuses on the present moment rather than the past or the future. During studies, this technique has been shown to be effective in reducing anxiety, depression and negative feelings. Yoga is perfect for learning mindfulness.
- Exercise to reduce stress. Bad dreams can be triggered by depression and anxiety. Physical activity helps you relax, so why not go out for a run in the park? In this way, you not only reduce the emotional pressure (thus eliminating one of the potential causes of nightmares), but at the same time you can fall asleep faster and a deeper sleep, both factors that reduce the incidence of bad dreams.
Step 3. Change your sleeping environment
This simple remedy can help you reduce your stress level and, consequently, the frequency of bad dreams. It also allows you to rest in a more reassuring room in case you wake up in a nightmare.
- Check the thermostat. Most people sleep better at around 18 ° C. You may be tempted to turn on the heat on cold nights, but be aware that low temperatures ensure a good night's rest and keep bad dreams away.
- Wear light pajamas or sleep naked Also, avoid using more blankets than you need to fall asleep - a thin sheet and blanket are more than enough. Remember that your goal is to limit your body temperature so as not to overheat during the night.
- If you usually sleep in complete darkness, consider using a small courtesy light. This way, you will know that you are safe in your room in case you wake up from a nightmare. If you generally use a light instead, try turning it off. For some, the shadows created by the courtesy lights are quite disturbing.
- Consider keeping an item that will comfort you. If you usually sleep alone, a stuffed animal can reassure you when you're scared. If you worry that stuffed animals are just for kids, consider this fact: a survey conducted in England found that one in four adult men travel with a stuffed animal in their briefcase.
Step 4. Accept that bad dreams are necessary
The mind processes stressful and traumatic experiences through nightmares; for this reason, allowing negative dreams to take their course is a fundamental part of the process of accepting the reality that caused them.
Instead of trying to suppress all bad dreams, try to find the root and treat the stressful causes. In this way, the nightmares will disappear naturally or change according to the reality you live
Step 5. Go to a therapist or family doctor
In most cases, occasional nightmares are completely normal and are an unfortunate part of life that anyone faces. For some people, however, this is a symptom of an underlying problem, so it's best to see the specialist when bad dreams become problematic.
Constant or recurring nightmares can suggest an anxiety disorder, past trauma, or even a mental problem that your therapist or doctor can help you manage. Remember that in order to stop dreams you have to find the root and many therapists are able to help you in this process
Advice
- Hug something or someone, such as a soft toy, your pet, friend, or family member.
- Develop good sleep hygiene habits. Take a bath, read a book, watch television or, if you have one, hug a stuffed animal!
- Read cheerful books, especially short ones for children; generally, they foster happy thoughts and help you forget the dream.
- Try not to worry too much about the dream because, as time passes, it will get lost among other thoughts.
- Clear your mind of any negative thoughts or emotions.
